Nitish Kumar wasn't respected in Mahagathbandhan, existence at stake: JD(U) MLA
Gopal Mandal claimed Nitish Kumar's existence was at stake and people can do anything to save their existence.
Patna: Nitish Kumar wasn't respected in Mahagathbandhan, said JD(U) MLA Gopal Mandal on Friday, amid reports that the Bihar chief minister is planning to dump Lalu Yadav's RJD and join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Mandal claimed Nitish Kumar's existence is at stake and people can do anything to save their existence.
"Wherever our national president (Nitish Kumar) goes, we will follow him. People can do anything to save their existence. His existence is at stake. He was not respected; he was being abused," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"JD(U) MLAs are strong, so it is not possible to break them," he added.
RJD MLA Rital Yadav said his party will work for the people of Bihar even if it is not in power.
"No one has betrayed our Lalu Prasad Yadav nor can anyone betray him. Only the public can betray him, otherwise, no one has that power. It doesn't matter whether we are in the government or not, we will work for the people," he said.
RLJD chief Upendra Kushwaha claimed Nitish Kumar was eager to come out of the Mahagathbandhan.
"The situation we see in the Mahagathbandhan, JD(U) vs RJD, it is evident that Nitish Kumar is eagerly waiting to come out of it," he said.
The JD(U) has denied rumours of a split. However, tension became apparent in the Bihar alliance when deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and other senior RJD leaders skipped the governor's high-tea ceremony.
Also read: Will Nitish Kumar quit INDIA bloc? Bihar assembly equation comes into focus
When asked about his deputy's absence, Nitish Kumar snapped at the media and said they should ask those who didn't turn up.
The reports of Kumar's latest change of heart has sent his alliance partners scrambling into a huddle.
Bihar Congress CLP leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan has called a meeting of Congress MLAs in Purnia, Bihar at 2pm tomorrow. Several RJD leaders also reached the house of Tejashwi Yadav.
Union home minister Amit Shah attended a meeting regarding Bihar in Delhi. BJP president JP Nadda, party's national general secretary BL Santosh were also present in the meeting.
Since 2017, Nitish Kumar has switched sides twice. In 2022, Kumar quit the NDA and joined the RJD-led alliance.
Earlier this week, he talked about dynasty politics at an event. Lalu Yadav's daughter Roshni Acharya posted an apparently critical post on X. The post was later deleted but it gave the BJP an opportunity to attack the ruling alliance in Bihar.
In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP's 78; the JD(U)'s 45' the Congress's 19, the CPI (M-L)'s 12, two each of the CPI(M) and CPI, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)'s four seats, and the AIMIM's one, plus one Independent legislator.
With inputs from PTI, ANI
